A Washington Yankee In King Edward's Court
by Korissaa
Summary: Bella and Alice travel to Biloxi, Mississippi after her estranged Grandmother passes away. of her estate to Alice & to Edward, a cousin Alice never knew about. JUDGES CHOICE WINNER One-Shot for Southern Twi-Nights Contest
1. Chapter 1 Yankee Bitches & Transcendence

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own the Twilight Saga characters, books or plot; they belong to the lovely Stephanie Meyers.

I own a laptop and a dirty mind. Sue me.

**A/N This One-Shot is a slow burn. There are 3 Chapters, but I saved the best for last, enjoy. ****Endless thanks to M81170 for Pre-Reading, letting me pick her brain and bother her, but most all her friendship. If you haven't read her fic Daisy and Swirl, go and read it, it will left your heart and make you smile.**

**Chapter 1 Yankee Bitches and Transcendence**

**BPOV**

Standing on the sand overlooking the murky water and the gray sky, I couldn't believe we were here. This water was so different from the beach at La Push. The sand was like fine sugar and I couldn't help curling my toes as I looked down. There was hardly anyone on the beach and it was so peaceful. Biloxi, Mississippi had a definite allure to it, but I wanted to go home. I operated best in an environment I knew. I knew Forks, Washington, the people, the smell, the feel, it was home. Funny, looking back, it took a long time for Forks to feel like home; I actually grew up in Phoenix, Arizona with my mom. Looking around the empty beach, I had to smile, Mom would love it here, too bad I'm not the adventurer she is. I'm much more like my dad that way, Dad and I both appreciated the consistency that Forks offered.

Unfortunately for me, I'd promised Alice I'd come with her after we got the notice from the lawyer that her Grandmother passed away. Alice Brandon has been my best friend since I moved to Forks, my junior year of high school. We were both the outsiders and either because of it or in spite of it we latched on to each other and have been inseparable ever since.

I don't think I could have gotten through what Alice now refers to as "The Great Mike Newton Prom Fiasco of 2004 " without her and she could have never survived her break up with "Psycho James" in college without me, or my Police Chief father, Charlie. Alice is a part of my heart, more than a best friend - a soul sister.

So, it was never a question of where I'd be when she told me she had to fly out here. We were going to tackle this thing together, like we always do. That doesn't mean I'm not entitled to some introspective whining on the beach though. I _really_ didn't like new things.

Alice, running from about a hundred feet away, called, "Bella, there you are! Can you believe it? Isn't this place great? I can't believe that we're here!" _Neither can I_, I thought.

"I was just thinking about how different Biloxi is from Forks," I said, not quite answering any of her questions. "When are we meeting the lawyer again?"

"We're meeting him at 4:00pm, so that leaves us two hours to shop!" she exclaimed all wide eyed.

"Yeah, I don't think so, I'm perfectly happy on the beach, plus I brought all that reading I want to do." I answered scrunching up my nose.

Alice tilted her head to the right, "Silly, Bella, did you really think I was really _asking?_ If I waited for you to _want_ to go shopping, I'd never get to go with you. How many boring bookstores have you dragged me to? Come on, I'll even let you pick the first couple of places. I don't want to _have_ to remind you how you promised to be there for me in every way I needed you to be while we were here, do I? Because I not above that," she said looking up through her lashes smiling.

She had me, and we both knew it. We'd done this dance before on several occasions and when it came to Alice and shopping I never, ever, _ever_, won. Never. So I just smiled and put out my hand allowing her to lead the way.

We actually had a lot of fun shopping. Alice was dying to go to the Max Azaria and Ann Taylor Outlets right outside of town, but I had absolutely no interest in that and chose the historic Main Street district where the law office was located. I nosed around the antique shops, amazed at all the treasures I found, and Alice flitted in and out of all the little boutiques. I was surprised when the alarm on my Blackberry alerted us the appointment was in 15 minutes. So we hustled out the door and headed to the Law Offices of Hale & McCarty.

When we walked into the office, I knew we were underdressed. I was used to this, but Alice, who never seemed out of place, was clearly out of her element as well. Everything was formal, heavy, and dark, like I had pictured a library in one of my books to look like. The walls were painted a latte color with thick white crown molding, the carpet was a dark forest green and the leather high back chairs were a deep burgundy. Even the pictures on the walls, were very classic, a lot of ducks and hunting. In the middle of the mahogany coffee table in the foyer/reception area there was a single magnolia in the most exquisite shallow vase.

I grabbed Alice's hand and we walked up to the ornate reception desk in our shorts and flip flops and waited until the receptionist got off the phone.

Looking us over with a crinkled brow like we must be lost, "Can I help y'all?" she asked.

"Yes, Alice Brandon and Bella Swan to see, um… Mr. Hale or Mr. McCarty?" I attempted to say with authority until it occurred to me I didn't know who exactly we were meeting.

The little blonde in the teal suit did another once over and seemed to be contemplating something, when a huge man walked over and announced, "Jessica, I'm expecting a young girl with her friend, please show them to the conference room when they get here."

Jessica, looked over to us and the big man who couldn't be much older than either of us, followed her eyes, as he gave us the once over.

I was starting to get pissed. _What is it with these people?_ Alice looked smaller than I had ever seen her and I was about to go all Momma Bear on their asses. I stood up and extended my hand, "I'm Isabella Swan and this is my friend, Alice Brandon," I said daring him with my eyes to do another once over.

"Hey, welcome to Biloxi ladies, right this way," he said as he looked to Jessica and extended his arm down the hallway.

As we sat around the conference table I couldn't help but stare at all the decorations. "I'm sorry it's such a mess, we just got done with Mardi Gras down here," the big man explained, as if it was obvious I should have come to that assumption on my own. The only thing I knew about Mardi Gras was an A&E show I watched with Charlie one night and all I remember was that they grease the street light poles with Crisco for some reason. I couldn't imagine why anyone would lug all this junk back from New Orleans.

"I'm sorry, where are my manners, I'm Emmett, Emmett Mc Carty," he said extending his hand again. Both Alice and I shook it. "Miss Alice, I can't tell you how sorry I am for your loss, ma'am."

"Please, just call me Alice, "Alice replied meekly as I looked over to her and reached to hold her hand.

"Yes ma'am," Emmett replied warmly. "I guess I also need to apologize for the delay, Mardi Gras kinda takes over our lives down here. Your Nana was a kind and generous woman, she did her family proud. I'm sure she'd be so happy to know y'all finally made it home".

"I wouldn't know Mr. McCarty," Alice said in a tone that made me look up. Alice squared her tiny frame so it was parallel to his. "My Grandparents had never seen fit to contact me until I received this," she held up the tattered registered letter out of her purse, "letter from your office. Maybe you can tell me what exactly I'm doing here?" _Meek Alice has left the building!_

"Excuse me ma'am?" Emmett spat out stunned, "Didn't you read it?"

"Yes, as a matter a fact I have, but apparently you know my Grandmother personally. Since she never chose to acknowledge me while she was alive, I beseech you, _why_ am I'm currently sitting in a room that looks like the cheap version of _the Pirates of Caribbean_ booty cave with all these piles of beads and plastic coins and boxes of Moon Pies. Mr. McCarty, _why am I here_?"

Emmett looked at me with wide eyes, thinking that I could save him somehow. I smiled and looked down, hoping he understood that he was on his own. _ If he thinks this is bad, he should try and tell her no to shopping_.

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, I looked up and was about to speak, when the most beautiful woman I had ever seen glided past us and sat in front of us.

"I'm so sorry I'm late y'all, I was on a conference call that would just not end!" she drawled as she extended her hand gracefully, "Hey, I'm Rosalie Hale-McCarty and you must be Alice! You are the spittin' image of your daddy, girl. You definitely have the Brandon genes darlin'. You probably don't know, but your daddy escorted my mama to the Neptune Ball eons ago. Our families go way back. I can't wait to introduce you to some people down here, everyone's just dyin' to meet ya."

_What just happened?_ I wondered. _That woman somehow made all the energy in the room gravitate to her as if she was the sun and we were all just planets in her universe. Damn._

The room went quiet and Mr. McCarty looked at this woman with a mix of awe and thanks before he continued, "I must apologize, Miss Alice, this meeting has not gotten off on the wrong foot. Your nana, Miss Kate, has left you half of her entire estate."

"I'm sorry, half?" Alice interrupted.

"Yes, ma'am, the other half is designated to your cousin Edward; he has already been notified and is in the process of liquidating the assets." Emmett responded dismissively.

"What?" Alice asked again, looking lost.

"What can I clarify for you, ma'am? Emmett asked, almost nervously.

"_Really_? Okay, um, what cousin? What assets? And if I get _half_, just how is it possible that he, this Edward, is liquidating _anything_ without discussing it with me?" Alice practically yelled.

Emmett started shuffling papers nervously. "I'm sorry; we were under the impression that there would be no contention of the distribution. Edward, or Mr. Cullen, is your father's sister's son. He's your cousin and is the only other living relative. He has hired our firm to manage the distribution of assets."

"So you work for him," I interrupted. "Does Alice need to get her own lawyer?"

"You always have the right to hire your own representation darlin', but in this case, we work for the estate, not either one of y'all." Rosalie drawled in a tone, like honey dripping from a hive. "Edward hired us so there wouldn't be any… _issues_. I guess you could say that, we work for all y'all and none of y'all at the same time."

I raised one eye brow. "What?" I couldn't tell if she was talking down to us or not.

"Rose, you're not helping!" Emmett said, exasperated. "Look, it's getting late and we're getting nowhere. I knew your Nana Kate, she was a fine woman and I really want to do right by her last wishes. Can we continue this discussion outside the office so we can explain all this to y'all? We're heading to Marlin Murph's, to meet some friends. Please come."

I looked at Alice, who was a mixture of lost and pissed and knew it was time to leave. I just wasn't sure when we'd be able to meet back up with these two.

"What do I have to lose?" Alice replied wearily as I smiled at her proudly.

We got to Marlin Murph's and it was quite crowded and filled with the same purple, green and gold junk that was in the conference room at the Law Office, except here, it looked like Mardi Gras thrown up on the whole building. It was garish and loud… and well, perfect for this local bar.

We heard Emmett before we saw him, "…it was awful y'all. I know I looked like a bumblin' fool, and then Rose comes in and dazzles the poor Yankees in a way that woulda put her mama at a Junior League Meeting to shame. She was perfect, so I try to get back on track and then that Yankee girl got all belligerent askin' whether she needed to hire her own lawyer and Rosie got her bitch on and it went to hell and a handbag from there."

I heard another voice, "Holy Shit man, what a first day, raise your glasses boys, "To Yankee Bitches!"

We stood there frozen. _WHAT THE FUCK! Who was he kidding with this shit?_

"Hey y'all, glad you could make it!" Rosalie drawled as Emmett's table of friends turned to stare at us with their mouths gaping open and the color draining out of their faces.

I tried to grabbed Ali's hand, ready to walk out, but she was already determinately walking over to the man who made the Yankee bitch toast and said flatly, "Your hair is just like my dad's was in the pictures I have of him."

He nervously ran his fingers through it, "Um, yeah, it never does what I want it to do… um, excuse me I'm going to get another beer."

Emmett looked humiliated, and I still couldn't see straight from the overwhelming anger I felt for the jackass who just walked away. "What do you want to do Ali?" I whispered.

"I think I need to stay, you won't leave will you?" she asked.

"Nope, I'm all yours, but I'm gonna kick some southern fried ass if this night doesn't get any better," I said as she smiled.

"Thank you" she mouthed back.

"Hey, I'm so sorry for your loss ma'am, I knew your Nana Kate well. My name's Jasper Whitlock, how do you do," a blond man said to her as I walked to the bar.

I order a Corona with lime and took a sip wondering if beer was going to be strong enough for this fucked up day. Then the copper haired jackass muttered something under his breath.

"Excuse me, did you say something to me?" I asked pointedly.

"Um, no ma'am, it's just that we can always tell a Yankee round here from the kind of beer they order," he said smirking as he turned his head and looked up from his beer.

_Oh no he didn't__!_ I thought as I look around only to see at least five Corona's at various tables, including the one he just came from.

"I'm sorry, what are you drinking?" I ask.

"Black and Tan," he said before getting up and walking away. _He did __**not**__ just dismiss me!_

I grabbed his shoulder and was startled to feel an electric shock race up my arm. "What exactly did I do to you? Shouldn't I be the one that's pissed? Yankee Bitch? Who says that about someone they haven't even met? You're Alice's cousin, Edward, right? Are you really that much of a jackass?" I asked angrily.

I gasped as he grabbed my wrist and pulled me within inches of his face and said in a gravelly low tone, "I'd love to answer all your questions, Yankee Girl, but I've got things to do."

I stood there frozen, watching him walk away, feeling the loss of his hand around my wrist. _Damn it, I hate than man!_

I walked over to Ali and she had not moved a muscle since I had left her. I sat down and listened to the conversations happening around me, letting the evening wear on. Apparently Jasper's family was from Pass Christian and he was Rosalie's cousin. Their Great-Great-Great-Grandfather was the first governor of Tennessee or something. Jasper had just gotten out of the Air Force, where he, like his father and his father before him, served proudly. Jasper was working on his degree in Psychology and was currently training dolphins right off the coast. _I'd love to talk to him about that one day._

Emmett and Rosalie were a different story. They had graduated from Ole Miss Law School last spring and had just gotten married and opened up their own law firm. Apparently Alice's Grandmother's estate was their first case and tonight was their first day of celebration. "Isabella, I have to apologize for completely fuckin' up today. Let me get ya a drink" he slurred.

"It's Bella, and just take care of Ali and we're all square" I replied dismissively, having a hard time staying mad at this big sweet bear of a man.

"I wasn't kiddin' when I said I wanted to do right by Miss Kate and Edward's like a bro to me." I listened suddenly more interested in this conversation.

"How did you and Alice's cousin meet?" I hedged.

"Edward and I were frat brothers at Ole Miss. He was a legacy and I played football. God, I miss it, it was one of the best times of my life," he said louder than necessary as he spun his glass around to whoever would click it.

"Is that where you met your wife?" I asked.

"Rosie? Yeah my bro introduced us. It was junior year and she was president of her sorority, unfuckin' heard of for a junior, but that's my Rose. Anyway her family and Eddie's had been trying to play match maker with the two of them for years. She came over to visit the frat house to appease her mama and he introduced us. Love at fuckin' first site, I had never seen anyone so fuckin' beautiful and still haven't. And smart too. While all those bitches in her sorority were workin' on their motherfuckin' MRS degree, my Rosie was gettin' all A's and had a plan," he said as his words got sloppier and sloppier.

Just then Rosalie walked up from the girlfriends she had been sitting with. "Okay darlin', time to go," she said pulling him up off the stool, then turning to me. "It's always time to leave when there are more cuss words than normal ones," she said with a wink.

I looked around for Alice and couldn't find her. "Rosalie, have you seen Alice?"

"Sugar, she left with Jasper about 15 minutes ago, she told you she was goin', but you were talkin' to Em," she said in that same tone she used with us in the conference room.

I shook my head, wondering what was so interesting that I had tuned out my best friend… _the jackass_.

"Thanks Rosalie, congratulations on opening your office," I said, honestly happy for her.

"Well thanks sugar. Y'all came on a crazy day to be sure, but I'm lookin' forward to gettin' to know y'all better. I've never seen Jasper take to someone as quickly as he took to Miss Alice," she smiled, then added, "must be that Brandon charm, they all have, ya know? You need a ride back to your hotel?"

I shook my head no and offered my thanks and goodnight. I needed the fresh air.

I walked for about 20 minutes before realizing that I was a little lost, but wasn't really concerned about it. I knew our hotel was on Ocean Boulevard, so once I found it; I just enjoyed the store fronts and bars. Most of the bars were playing classic rock which I really enjoyed. I tried not to giggle when I heard _Sweet Home Alabama_ for the third time. _Is it an anthem down here? Could they be more stereotypical?_

I gravitated towards this little bar where the most amazing jazz music was lofting out the door and seemed to be carried across the ocean. The sultry sounds drew me in like a moth to a flame. There weren't as many people as I expected, this kind of genius would have drawn a much bigger crowd back home.

I sat in the back corner, ordered a glass of red wine and allowed the music to envelope me. As the music continued I felt my body respond into that relaxed state I had only ever gotten after a massage or cathartic cry. I was entranced by the complex combinations that seemed to have no rhyme or reason, but flowed together perfectly. It was clear these musicians loved music.

I was surprised when the pianist announced it was the last song of the evening. The crowd seemed to know what to expect because they were shouting out titles of songs. The pianist kept his back to the crowd and asked the Saxophonist, Tyler, what he thought was the winner. Tyler said he couldn't tell, as the crowd got louder with their offerings. If it was _Sweet Home Alabama_, I was out of there.

The velvet voiced pianist quieted everyone down and said, "Alright y'all, tonight, it's my choice. I've had this song in my head all night long. Give me the first verse then y'all know what to do." The lights dimmed and the moist air crackled with electricity. A familiar melody began to play the introduction of the song as everyone settled in. Then the pianist began to sing,

"_Hey where did we go, _

_Days when the rains came…"_

I was mesmerized by his voice and cadence that seemed to be reaching out to my very soul. I found myself aroused in the most visceral way.

My breathing sped up and I was startled as the crowd began the next verse, but I remained quiet, until my favorite part came, and then I smiled and sang with the crowd,

_"Do you remember when we used to sing,  
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da"_

The pianist quieted the crowd, "Okay y'all, my part" as he serenaded the hushed crowd with the last verse

_…You my brown eyed girl"_

"Last time time y'all, make it good" he teased us and we all sung again.

_"Do you remember when we used to sing  
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da."_

"_You hoo hoo, my brown eyed girl"_, he finished. "Good night y'all."

I walked up with a couple other people in the crowd to thank them for their wonderful performance. Eric was new to the group, as was the drummer, Tyler. The Saxophonist was apparently just filling in for someone at the last minute, but I told him how amazing I thought he was. The air crackled as I waited to say thank you to the pianist. I wanted to ask him where I could buy some of his music and was thrown completely off my game as I came face to face with, a surprise… Edward?

He smiled, and then said "Hello, Yankee Girl," in his velvet singing voice.

For a second my eyes widened in shock, before I quickly rearranged my features into a passive expression. "Oh, it's you," I said in as blasé a voice as I could manage.

He seemed to look surprised with my response. "Damn girl, you don't cut a boy a break do ya? Are all Yankees like that?" he teased as he smirked.

"Well, only Yankee _bitches,_" I responded cocking an eyebrow back at him as the smirk slid off his face.

I let him stew for a minute then smiled. "All past indiscretions on your part aside, you were fantastic tonight from what I saw. I love jazz, but that was… transcendent."

"Transcendent, wow, kinda a big word for a Yankee isn't it?" he questioned.

_Oh it's like that is it?_

"Too big of a word for you - do you need to know what it means?" I tossed right back.

Edward scrunched up his forehead and bit his lower lip as he shook his head, apparently at a loss at how to respond.

I smiled, _Bella 1, Edward 0_, "Well, I did honestly tell you your music was transcendent - a word, that while I know the definition of, I haven't been able to properly use in context until I heard your music. You're the one who wondered if a Yankee brain could grasp it." I retorted, still smiling.

"Listen, I'm fixin' to clean up, but thanks for coming tonight." Edward said looking down.

It annoyed me that I actually felt _disappointed_ to leave. Edward had proven earlier that night that he was a condescending jackass and here I was acting as if nothing had even happened. I put my nonchalant mask back on and said indifferently, "I guess I'll see you around. Bye Edward."

As I was turned to leave, I felt the air around me shift into that increasingly familiar electricity. Suddenly I felt his warm breath behind my ear "Yankee Girl, you can guarantee you'll see me around, I guess I owe you answers to all your burning questions," he breathed.

I closed my eyes. _Holy shit!_ I tried to concentrate on walking out, when I realized my toes were curled. Was there a part of my body he didn't affect?_ Oh my goodness!_ _Walk girl - left, right, left, right_. When I got to the door I turned, not trusting myself to say one word and praying my legs didn't betray me and give out, I simply smiled and left.

**A/N This was written for the Southern TwiNights Contest, it's a little over the top. I lived in Brandon, MS for 6 years and I LOVED it there. BUT I was once called "Beyond a Yankee" because I came from California and was routinely referred to as Yankee Girl by a co-worker as a term of endearment.**


	2. Chapter 2 My Mother Has Green Eyes

**Chapter 2 – My Mother has Green Eyes**

**EPOV**

We were sitting in Murph's listenin' to Emmett recount his day and I was almost feelin' bad for my best friend. He out and out begged me for this job and I warned him. I'd never met my cousin Alice, but all the women in my family made had used the words "Yankee Bitch" to describe her mama more than once(always behind closed doors of course). Truth was, Nana Kate never forgave that woman for takin' her beloved Trey away. Trey was Garrett Alistair Brandon III or Trey for short. After Trey died, Alice's Mama's fate was sealed in the eyes of the Brandon Family.

If there was one positive thing from my Nana's passing, it was would be that I would never have to be subjected to the long list of debutantes with acceptable family lines. I could care less who's Great-great grandfather fought in the civil war or who's Daddy was in which Krewe, but my certainly Nana did.

Hell, my generation was the second generation to celebrate 4th of July. Nana thought it was sacrilege to celebrate the day Vicksburg fell and we won't even talk about Martin Luther King Day._ I grew up thinking of it as General Lee's Birthday_. I lived in a crazy family, but one filled with so much love and steeped in historic pride. We're the Brandons, a founding family of the South and that meant something, hell, to my Nana, it meant everything.

My momma, Elizabeth died in childbirth with me; I think that's what made Trey leavin' hurt Nana so much. My daddy took off when I was about five. Nana had pretty much raised me because of my father's weird hours as a doctor, so when Carlisle got transferred to a bigger hospital, they both thought it best I stayed here. He's come several times to get me to live with him, but Nana's a force to be reckoned with and I never left.

I was surprised when Nana's will was read, but I guess I shouldn't have been, family was everything and Alice was family. The estate was divided equally between Alice and me. I'm sure Alice had no idea what she was inheriting, but I guess she would soon enough.

I sat there in Murph's vacillating between Emmett's recount and the events that brought us here. I had to laugh as Emmett described Rose dazzling my little cousin and her friend, southern style. Rose could dazzle anyone, most well bred southern women could, but Rose was in a class all herself, there isn't a man or woman alive that she couldn't wrap around her finger, well except maybe me and Jasper. It didn't surprise me when Emmett said Alice turned into a bitch in the meeting, I expected nothing less, so without thinking I pat Emmett on the back, "Holy Shit Man, what a first day, raise your glasses to Yankee Bitches!"

Rosalie turned the corner a split second later with a shit eatin' grin on her face and just as I thought she was going to say something even bitchier, she looks directly at me and says, "Hey y'all, glad you could make it."

_Oh shit_. I looked around and watched Emmett's face go from pale to green.

I was trying to figure out what to say when the littler of the two girls walked up and said "Your hair is just like my dad's was in the pictures I have of him." I felt like I was punched in the gut. Nana Kate had told me countless times that my hair was exactly like Trey's. _God I missed her._

I needed to get away, I may have run my fingers through my hair, I do that when I'm nervous. "Um, yeah, it never does what I want it to do…um, excuse me I'm going to get another beer."

Jasper stopped me on the way to the bar, "You were raised better than that, boy, what the hell?"

I looked up at him apologetically and shrugged my shoulders. Nana Kate would have taken a switch to me right then and there, _fuck my life_.

I was sitting at the bar contemplating the clusterfuck that was my life when, I heard my long lost cousin's friend order a Corona next to me. I watched silently as she squeezed the lime into the beer and stuck her perfectly pink tongue out just a bit to touch the rim of the bottle, before taking a sip.

I have never seen anything sexier. I was getting a semi just sitting there and I groaned under my breath.

"Excuse me, did you say something to me?" she asks in a bitchy tone.

_Oh fuck, think quick dumbass, you just groaned at your cousin's friend after calling her a Yankee bitch._

"Um, no ma'am, it's just that we can always tell a Yankee round here from the kinda beer they order," I say without thinking. _Dumbass, way to dig yourself in deeper. Thank God I didn't order my normal Corona_. I use the smile that usually gets me out of trouble and into bed.

She's not falling for it and asks, "I'm sorry, what are you drinking?"

_Thank god for Mississippi Beer_, "Black and Tan" I say. I've got to get out of here before I do something really stupid like tell her how gorgeous her brown eyes are, so I get up and walk away. I've got a shift to get to anyway.

Suddenly I feel an electric shock at my shoulder as her hand touches it.

"What exactly did I do to you; shouldn't I be the one that's pissed? Yankee Bitch? Who says that about someone they haven't even met? You're Alice's cousin Edward, right? Are you really that much of a jackass?" she asks.

Feeling the loss of her hand on my shoulder, I grabbed her wrist and instinctually pulled her close so I could practically hear her heart beating, "I'd love to answer all your questions, Yankee girl, but I've got things to do." I let her go because I needed to adjust and I wasn't going to do it here, but not before looking into those big brown eyes of hers. _Damn she was breathtaking_.

Playing at Eclipse was different tonight; I was surprised when Tyler showed up instead of Jasper, its hard enough getting used to playing without Emmett on drums. Apparently Jasper called Tyler at the last minute. _I wonder what happened? _

Well, what ever happened it was a good night; everything was gelling in all the right places. All of us just jammed, sometimes new blood was energizing, I'm not sure what it was but towards the end of the night the room just got electrified. I couldn't get those brown eyes out of my head, so I just put all that energy in my music.

I was surprised when Riley motioned to his watch that it was time for the last song. The last song was a tradition at Eclipse, the crowd got to choose the song and we'd all sing-a-long. A lot of nights, locals would just come in after work or an evening at the casinos for the last song. Tonight, everyone had a different suggestion, Tyler and I didn't hear a stand out, so I decided to take charge.

"Tonight, it's my choice; I've had this song in my head all night long. Give me the first verse then y'all know what to do.", I say. Wherever she was, this song was for her.

I knew it was coming, so I braced myself for the intrusion of the crowd singing the second verse and then had to chuckle as the crowd belted the refrain "Do you remember when we used to sing,  
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da". I couldn't help wanting to sing this last verse myself, so I spoke into the mic, "Okay y'all, my part."

As I began to sing the last verse I thought of the fire in her eyes and how I just had to get to know her better. Singing the last verse "…You my brown eyed girl"

I engaged the crowd again, "Last time time y'all, make it good,"  
"Do you remember when we used to sing Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da."

"You hoo hoo, my brown eyed girl", I sung. "Good night y'all. "

Riley was anxious to clean up and hated when people stuck around after closing, but there were always a couple of fans who wanted autographs and whatnot. I spotted Tyler with a cute brunette with her back to me and thought of my brown eyed Yankee Girl while pointing to my wrist reminded him we had to break down the equipment. He nodded and a guy that knew me from Ole Miss started to ask about Emmett and Jasper when I felt a change in the air around me. I turned back to Tyler and was flabbergasted to come face to face with those beautiful brown eyes. _What the fuck?_

I smiled and said the first thing that came to mind, "Hello Yankee Girl."

She replied coldly, "Oh, it's you."

_Someone should pull that stick out of her ass and I'm just the man to do it._ "Damn girl, you don't cut a boy a break do ya? Are all Yankees like that?" I tease, using my get-out of trouble smile.

"Well, only Yankee _bitches,_" _Oh Shit_.

I'm at a loss for words, when she says, "All past indiscretions on your part aside, you were fantastic tonight from what I saw. I love jazz, but that was… transcendent."

_Transcendent, she thinks my music is transcendent, wow_. Never one to pass up the opportunity to be a smartass, I say, "Transcendent, wow, kinda a big word for a Yankee isn't it?"

She smiles and takes it like a champ, "Too big of a word for you, do you need to know what it means?" _Damn, she gives as good as she gets! _

I bite my lip as scrunch up my forehead and shake my head.

"Well, I did tell honestly tell you your music was transcendent, a word, that while I know the definition of, I haven't been able to properly use in context, until I heard your music, by the way. You're the one who wondered if a Yankee brain could grasp it." She says as I mentally calculate Brown eyed Yankee Girl 1, Dumbass Edward 0. _Not good, ole boy._

"Listen, I'm fixin' to clean up, but thanks for coming tonight." I said as Riley was rollin' his eyes behind me.

"Oh! Yeah, of course, well, I'll see you around. Bye Edward," she said.

I couldn't let her just walk out of there without saying something, so I whisper in her ear so no one else could hear, "Yankee Girl, you can guarantee you'll see me around, I guess I owe you answers to all your burning questions." _Take that Yankee Girl_.

She just smiled and left, so much for having an effect on her…

**BPOV**

The next couple of days were filled with meeting every extended family member Ali never knew she had as well as neighbors and friends of Nana Kate's who apparently just came to "visit" and pay their respects. "Visiting" seemed to be perfected to some form of an art form down here. I could only take a couple of minutes of mundane chit-chat with people I didn't know, but Ali reveled in it.

She seemed to absorb the energy of these people and all the stories they told about her grandmother and her dad. It was like they provided the medicine for an illness she never knew she had, even Edward fed into it.

Edward and Ali's spent a lot time going through old photo albums and even found some of her dad's childhood journals. Their bond strengthened by the day, as they realized just how much they had in common. At times they seemed more like brother and sister than long lost cousins.

_At least one of us was getting close to him_. Nothing, and I meaning nothing, happened to even acknowledge that first night at Eclipse. I started to wonder if it really happened. I am so happy for Ali and I guess Edward too, but WTF? I'm dreaming of him every night, singing _Brown Eyed Girl _to meand then ending up in various positions on his piano. I had a particularly vivid dream last night and I just can't face another day of "visiting" with Ali's new friends and family, especially with Edward always in the background.

"Bella, are you ready to head to Nana's yet?" Alice asked over the hotel hair dryer.

"Um, Ali, I think I'm gonna pass on today's activities, haven't called Charlie in a couple days, I need to check email, and you know what happens to my follow list when forget to Tweet," I say smiling.

"Bellaaaaaa, you can call Charlie from anywhere on your cell phone , I'm sure Edward has internet at Nana's in that office of his and I know for a fact you haven't tweeted in months," she responds giving me her best doe-eyed plea, then adds with a whisper. "I need you with me."

_Damn_. "Okay, okay, but I don't want to be left alone with any of your new friends and family. You know I don't like new people. I run out of things to say in the first five minutes… Speaking of which, where the hell did you go when Miss Maggie Sue was telling me about your dad's childhood with her?" I ask accusingly.

"Um, I don't know, maybe that's when Jasper stopped by on his break from work?" She answered feigning ignorance we both knew was unwarranted. We fell into a fit of giggles.

I smiled and looked over at her finishing her makeup. I was really happy for her, she looked content and happy. If the situation was reversed I knew she would feel the same for me. I braced myself, it was time to put my game face on and face another day with Edward Cullen.

**EPOV**

This was getting ridiculous. I don't have a waking thought that doesn't seem to include my Yankee Girl. I wish I could forget about her, about "this", whatever "this" is, but I can't. I run a multi-million dollar foundation on behalf of the Brandon Family Foundation out of Nana Kate's home. I was extremely frustrated because I haven't been able to properly review one grant request since the arrival of Alice and my Yankee Girl. The house permeated with Isabella's strawberry scent, which overwhelmed me more than the heady smell of jasmine in the evening. It was everywhere, she was everywhere.

I was bound and determined to make the division of assets as quick as possible so Alice could go back to where she came from, albeit a much richer woman. However, being the southern gentleman Nana Kate raised me to be, I invited them to our home. It didn't take five minutes before the damn neighbors and family came flocking. They knew I wasn't cotton to "visiting", Nana Kate used to tell everyone it was my Yankee Daddy Carlisle's side of the family. I just didn't have much to say, but now that Alice was here apparently all the rules had changed. I actually had to run to McAlister's Deli three times to get more sweet tea because I can never make it just right. _Honest to God, did they all have to bring food every time they came? Don't they realize we have a Cracker Barrel when we get hungry? How many red fuckin' velvet cakes and pimento cheese loaves does a person need?_ But they just kept coming and I just sat there visitin' with my fake smile alongside Alice.

Alice seemed to soak up the stories of our family's past. It was sweet and I found myself falling under the trance of my little pixie of a cousin.

I was surprised when she stuck her nose in the office.

"Whatcha doing Edward?" she asked pensively.

"I'm going over some grant requests for the family's foundation," I said dismissively without looking up.

"What do we do exactly," she asks.

"Well, "we" don't do anythin', I review the merit of the grant requests, which have gotten to the point where they end up on my desk. The Brandon Foundation gets approximately 6500 applications a year, I see about 500 of those and out of those we approve less than one hundred, but it's nothin' you need to fuss over," I said this time looking up and smiling.

"No, Edward," she said patiently, "What are the philanthropic goals of our family's foundation?"

I quirk an eyebrow, "Well, in the last five years, it tends to be more medical, educational and environmental, because that's where my passion lies."

"Oh, okay. I'd like to help out with that one day, maybe?" She answered in a way that made it seem like a question.

Before I could form a response, I heard a faint knock on the back door.

"Oops, gotta go, Jasper only has a couple minutes for lunch, "she exclaimed as she bounced towards the kitchen.

I had to smile; I had never seen Jasper take to a girl like he took to Alice. It was like they were waiting for each other their whole lives. I accidently walked in on them making out in the pantry the other day, I thought the cat got stuck in there and was amused to find it was just my childhood best friend feelin' up my cousin.

I started to wonder what happened to my Yankee Girl so I made my way to the great room and heard Miss Maggie Sue regaling her with stories of her childhood. My poor Yankee Girl looked pained and even thought I felt this primal need to protect her, it wasn't not enough to have to sit through another one of Miss Maggie Sue's stories. I remember being mesmerized by her facial expressions and little nuances. She bit her lip when she was nervous and tilted her head to keep in the conversation. _My Yankee Girl was breathtaking. _

Alice giggle's brought me to the present and took the opportunity to check on my Yankee Girl again today. She was on the phone.

"…yes, Charlie everything is fine here. Ali is so happy, the people here are so sweet, but hell, they can talk about anything… no lie, people at the gas station expect you to have ½ hour conversations with them (she laughs at whatever he says) Oh my god Charlie, you should have seen Ali's aunt's poor face when I told her I didn't go to church (she laughs again)… No I swear to God, they don't ask you "Do you go to church, it's where do you go to church?" Apparently that tells them a lot about a person…. I miss home. I miss you, bye Charlie…" Whatever he said made her blush.

_Who the fuck was he to MY Yankee Girl that he could say something to make her blush? Was she seeing someone in Washington? Maybe that's why she didn't seem interested in me. Fuck. It figures. When did I start thinking of her as mine? Apparently she's Charlie's…_

I wanted to go back to work, I should have turned around, but my feet seemed locked in my place, as my body unconsciously worked just to be close to her. She turned around and smiled. _Busted._

Without thinking I said, "Jasper and Alice are in the kitchen."

"Huh?"

"I said Alice is with Jasper, ya know, in case you were lookin' for them?" I explained.

"Oh, okay, um thanks?" She replied, no doubt questioning my sanity. "Actually, I have a question for you, I need to work on my laptop is there WIFI in the house?"

"No, sorry."

"Shut up, really?" she asked aghast with wide eyes.

My eyes followed her form curled up on the couch. Her shirt was bunched up in all the right places and I was fixated on the sliver of perfectly porcelain skin at her waist line. _Oh my fucking God. Kill Me Now_.

Before I made a total ass of myself, I shifted and said, "Well, we have internet, but because of the sensitive nature of all the Foundation documents, we run a T1 line, it's all wired. I'm fixin' to add the security to go wireless, but just hadn't gotten to it yet."

"Oh that's okay, I can find a Coffee Bean or Starbucks," she replied.

_No fucking way was she taking that bare belly out in public; does she not know what goes through guys brains?_ The irony was not lost on me.

"Why don't you use my office, there's an extra computer in there for y'all to check whatever you need to," I said without even thinking that I never invited people in there. Even Emmett and Jasper respected that that was my sanctuary.

"Thanks!"

She got up to follow me. _Wait, she means now?_ I head back there. I hate people in my space. Everything has a place. _Why did I offer this again? Oh yeah, the shirt, it was pulled down again, but it could work its way back up again, especially if she was sittin' in one of those fucking lounge chairs._ She could work in my office.

I signed onto the computer for her and opened Internet Explorer. She and I worked side by side all afternoon. It was… oddly comforting to know she was so close. I was able to review one and half applications. It was a very productive day. As soon as I closed up my notes, the charge in the air changed. I could hear her typing .

"Are ya getting' a lot of work done?" I asked, kicking myself for disturbing her.

"I was done about an hour ago, I'm just catching up on my long neglected personal emails," she replied with a smile.

"Charlie?" I asked without thinking.

She laughed; no Charlie would rather cut off his right arm than write an email. Wait, how do you know Charlie? Did Ali say something?" She questioned. _Fuck. Busted again._

"Weren't you talking to him this afternoon when I came to let you know where Alice was?" I tried to cover.

"Oh yeah! I forgot. No, Charlie's not much for email," she said smiling quietly.

_Who the fuck is Charlie to my girl?_

"I spent so much time online with school, I like to save the jokes and personal emails for when I have more time," she explained.

_That still doesn't explain who Charlie was, Yankee Girl._

"Wait, you're still in school?" I asked. _How did I not know that? Is Alice still in school?_

My Yankee Girl smiled widely, _breathtaking_. "Kind of, but probably not what you think. I teach online classes at the University of Washington."

"What do you teach?" I asked fascinated.

"Well, I have my bachelors degree in English Lit, and I teach a creative writing class, but I'm tenured in the business department and primarily teach non-profit management to MBA students and I have one Psyche class as well," she answered quietly as if she was embarrassed.

_My girl is not only breathtaking; she's fuckin' smart and undeniably sexy._ "Wow" I said, shaking my head and biting my lip so I wouldn't say anything else.

"What's with the Psyche Class? They needed a class filled?" I asked jokingly.

She fuckin' blushed. "Um. No, I have my MBA, which is why I teach business classes, but I also have a Doctorate in Psychology. It's just hard for me to teach Psyche online. I think it's better in a classroom environment."

_Well, so much for not saying other stupid things_… _Say something to her, ass!_

"So a doctor, huh?"

She blushed again. _God I love that blush._

"I never really think about it, I'm just addicted to school. It's the one place everything makes sense for me. I've spent so much time in libraries growing up that English Lit made perfect sense at the time. Until I realized you can't doing anything with a degree in English Lit, so I did a complete 180 and applied for the MBA program. I wasn't sure it was going to be my thing until I specialized in non-profits. I love it." She said as a smile lit up her whole face. "I got my Psyche degree because I wanted to know more about how people work and why."

"Wow", I responded completely at a loss for words, until my brain finally re-engaged, "We're y'all checkin' in on your students?"

"Kind of, I have a couple of grad students that monitor the student's progress and I was checking in on them. It was spring break last week and took off this week for Ali."

_She's leaving soon._

"What do you think of Biloxi so far?" I was intensely curious of any information she would share with me.

"It's beautiful, so different than Washington."

"What are your favorite and least favorite parts?" I asked leaning closer.

"Hmmm, well I love the Spanish moss in the trees, it's uniquely southern, but I've found that I think you have to be born here to really know how to "visit" properly. You all can talk about nothing for the longest time, and I run out to things to say within the first five or ten minutes," she answered.

I smiled at her honesty. "You, Dr. Swan are becoming indoctrinated, so to speak," I smirked, "You said y'all"

"I did not!"

"Yes ma'am, I beg to differ, but you said y'all, I heard it!" I was full on teasing her at this point.

"I said you all, not y'all" she answered as she cocked her eyebrow to challenge me.

"Maybe, but it's only a matter of time now! Soon you'll be saying , fixin' and drinkin sweet tea like any proper southern lady should," I teased her as I grabbed her hands, not able to go one more second without touching her.

The air crackled with intensity as my eyes snapped to meet her. Our breathing became breathless and ragged. It was as if all the air was suddenly sucked out of the room and she became my life force, my very essence. I was pulled closer because of some force I couldn't see, but couldn't deny that I felt. _God, I want to kiss her, taste her, feel her, and show her she's mine._

And then one thought came… _Charlie_.

I didn't know what to do, so I asked, "Have y'all been to the lighthouse yet?"

"What?" she questioned with a look of confusion and…hurt? _You have Charlie; you don't have a right to be hurt, Yankee Girl. Fucking Charlie._

"The lighthouse is one of our most famous landmarks here; it survived Hurricane Camille and Katrina." I replied flatly.

"Um, no, but now I know what you're talking about, it's on the cover of a cookbook I just bought for my dad's girlfriend, Sue." she replied as she pulled away.

_Please don't leave, Charlie doesn't exist in this room, it's just you and I, Yankee Girl._

I grab her hands again, "Well, we should go, you should see all the sites of the South, ya know, since you're half way to talkin' like us and all," I add with a smile.

**BPOV**

_What just happened? I thought he was finally going to kiss me and then he does another 180, his mood swings are giving me whiplash!_

"Well I don't know Mr. Cullen, I don't really know you well enough to have you take me anywhere," I challenge with a smirk. "And I will NOT be saying fixing or y'all anytime soon; if you remember I'm an English Lit major!"

"Well, Yankee schools don't really count now, do they?" he countered as he drew invisible circles on my wrists with his thumbs.

_Southern lothario, you're used to getting what you want, aren't you? Let's turn the tables and see how you like it, I've told you more about myself than people I've known for years._

"So Edward, tell me, I know so little about you besides being Alice's cousin, that you play the piano, sing, do something in this office and have a strange aversion to Yankees." _We'll skip the parts I learned from picking your drunken friend's brain the first night._

"Well, Doctor Swan, I am an upstandin' southern gentleman, who grew up in Biloxi, Mississippi. Doesn't two field trips in second and fourth grade to the lighthouse qualify me to be a capable tour guide?" he teases.

_Oh no, Mr. Cullen, it's not going to be that easy... Wait… Edward as a boy, I wonder if his hair was always this unruly._

"Two whole field trips, huh? My, my you are the expert," I toss back matching him smirk for smirk. "But really, I'm sure there's more to you. Like what do you do in this office? You mentioned a foundation, do you volunteer at your old college or something? I already know you're an amazing musician, but what made you start playing the piano?" I asked, genuinely curious about this beautiful man who has taken over my thoughts.

"Questions much, Dr. Swan, you're not trying to psychoanalyze me now, are y'all?" he evaded, _again_. I could feel my face redden_. Suck it up Swan, get the answers you need._

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel interrogated, I'm just curious, I don't let just anyone take me on tour of lighthouses, even with expert field trip credentials like your own," I reply with a wink.

Our eyes met and he's seemed to get whatever answer he was looking for in them as he continued his ministrations on my wrist.

"I do do some volunteer work for Ole' Miss where I went to school and I spend a God awful amount of money on season tickets for the football games, but that's not the foundation work I do. I run the Brandon Foundation, we…

"Wait, THE Brandon Foundation?" I interrupted. "I have helped write countless applications to that foundation, are you telling me they went to you?" _Who is this man? I thought he played piano in a bar at night? W.T.F.!_

He put his head down and shook his head, "Honestly, I don't know if I read any of yours, we get a lot, and I only do the final approvals," he said turning his head to the side and looking up at me apprehensively. "Countless applications?"

"Um, yeah, I teach a grant writing class. I try to use as much real life scenarios as possible since my students tend to be professionals. Wow." I explained. _Holy hell._ "You are quite a dichotomy. Brandon Foundation, CEO is it? …and piano player and soulful lead singer at night - do tell Mr. Cullen."

He shifted uncomfortably, letting go of my wrist and I immediately felt the loss.

"Soulful, huh? I guess that's pretty accurate. My momma died giving birth to me, she used to play, so I grew playin' to be close to her I guess. Nana used to tell me that it was like her baby girl was there in the room when I played; sometimes I think I can even feel her there too. The night you saw me at Eclipse was the first time I played since Nana's funeral." He said looking out the window.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know about your mom, you really do have an amazing gift. " I saw reaching out for his hand, needing that connection again. Then without thinking I asked, "Did your mom have brown eyes?"

"No? Green eyes like me."

The realization of that statement hit both of us at the same time. _Was he singing about me?_

"How would Charlie feel about this conversation?" he asked. _Random much? What does Dad have to do with anything?_

"Well, Charlie's not a musical guy, more of a sit in front of the TV and watch sports one, but I'm sure he'd be as sorry about your mom as I am. It's not the same, but I know what's its like to grow up missing your mom." I said hoping I answered his question.

"He wouldn't care that you and I are sitting here in my office holding hands?" he pushed. _Honest to God, What the hell? Maybe it's southern propriety thing?_

"No, he probably wouldn't like it," I smiled thinking of when my first date came to pick me up and Charlie was conveniently cleaning his firearm. "But he knows I'm a big girl and I make my own decisions. He's gotten a lot better since he married Sue."

"Charlie's your dad?" he asked appearing to be flabbergasted. _Ohhhhh,_

I giggle. "Yeah, who did you think he was? I ask smugly. _Busted, Cullen!_

"I,I um, I don't know, I wasn't sure…" _He's nervous! I made the CEO of The Brandon Fucking Foundation speechless, he's beautiful speechless. Sigh._

"Really?" I gloat, kicking my legs like a five year old, "Now I know here in the south it's okay for your Daddy to be your boyfriend, but we _Yankees_ frown upon that where I come from." _Where did that come from? Am I high?_

Suddenly, he was in front of me entrapping me between both arms on either side of me leaning in, predatorily. I couldn't breathe.

"If I wasn't such a southern gentleman I'd show you what I'd like to do with that smart mouth of yours Yankee Girl" he whispered menacingly at my ear. I was so glad he couldn't see my eyes close and roll in the back of my head. His hot breath traveled right from my ear straight to my core. I had to shift because my panties were getting uncomfortably wet. _Damn, the things this man does to me_.

Never one to take a challenge lying down, I look into his eyes that are almost black with intensity. "I'm not afraid of you, you know," I challenge, not really sure if that was true or not.

He shook his head and said, "Oh Yankee Girl, you really shouldn't have said that," before his lips came crashing down on mine.

I laced my finger through his hair and pulled him closer, needing to feel more of him. He moaned in my mouth as I simultaneously felt his hands on my back where my shirt had ridden up and his tongue along my lower lip requesting entrance. I could taste his sweet minty breath as our tongues struggled for dominance. I couldn't get close enough and I pressed against his hard body, finally getting the friction I desperately needed after dreaming about him for days. He's delectably hard and I think I might have whimpered a bit, but since I can't think, I can't say for sure.

We made out and ground against each other for God knows how long, because time seemed to have stopped. We were getting ready to go to a place I wasn't sure I was ready to go, but couldn't seem to stop myself from going there, when his cell phone rang.

He ignored it the first time, but when they called immediately back; he looked at the screen and put up his finger.

"Can you give me a minute?" he asked. I nodded and stood up to leave the room.

He pulled me back, "No, don't leave, just give me a second, he'll keep calling and this is the best way to get rid of him."

The phone rang again; Edward answered this time, "Emmett? I'm working, what's the emergency…"

I tried not to listen as he turned his back to take the call. _Oh my God, oh my god, oh my god, what just happened?_ I _mean I know what just happened; I'm sopping wet for god sakes_. Ireach up and touch my lips as I look over at him talking on the phone_. I've never had such an intense reaction to a man. I mean there had been other flirtations, one of which I even thought I loved, but this was… so much more, this was visceral, passionate, needy, wanting… sigh, this was everything._

**EPOV**

I had no intention of answering that damn phone; the "Dukes of Hazard" ringtone was a dead giveaway. After it rang again I knew he'd keep calling until I picked up. I reluctantly pulled away from Isabella. I didn't need to look, but I checked the screen anyway, Emmett McCarty.

"Can you give me a minute?" I asked. She got up and was getting ready to walk out and my heart stopped. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. _You can never leave me again._ "No, don't leave, just give me a second, he'll keep calling and this is the best way to get rid of him."

The phone rang again. _Fucker_.

"Hey bubba, whatcha doin'? Emmett asks, tauntingly.

"Emmett? I'm workin', what's the emergency?" I ask in a clipped tone, hoping to end this conversation quickly since I had much better things to do.

"Bullshit, boy. Y'all's ass has already been sold down the river, what the hell is Alice's cousin been doin' in your sacred office all afternoon?" he practically yells in the phone. _That boy has no volume control, it's loud and louder._ I turn my back, in hopes that Bella won't hear him.

"She working dumbass. She needed internet and the only room in the house that wired is the office." I whisper. "We're just talkin'. Hey Bubba, I don't want to be rude to her, can I call you later?"

"Do I ever just call your ass for nothin' Eddie_?" I hated when he called me Eddie, and he knew it._

"You call for no reason all the time, but is somethin' up with the distribution Em?"

"No, everythin' thing's fine on that end, we should have the paperwork completed by the end of the week," he says.

"Okay, I'll bite, what's up, Em?"

"See Eddie, was that so hard? It' almost like ya don't want to talk to me," he continued to tease. _Fucker._

"Em," I growled in warning.

He laughs a little too proud of himself, "Okay, okay, don't get your tighty whities in a bunch boy, Irina called, she wants to know if we can play on Friday night."

"Why didn't she call me or Jasper?" I ask.

"She did call Jasper, apparently he got off work early and thought he'd come and ask ya himself." _Oh shit. _ "Apparently, just as he was getting ready to knock, he heard, um, noises comin' from the sacred man cave of an office that no one is allowed to enter but you." I could see that fucker's smug smile getting bigger as he continued.

"He wasn't sure what to do, so he called me. Jasper's much too much of a southern gentleman to interrupt, but hells bells boy, I up and volunteered to call ya myself." _Fuck. Shit. Fuck. Shit_. "So, Eddie, I'm gonna ask ya again, whatcha doin?" he asked in between laughing his ass off.

_This is not good. _I didn't know what to do, so I ignored him for now. "Friday sounds fine, Rose gonna let y'all outta the house? I thought you had to give all that shit up now that you're a respectable lawyer and all."

"No sir, you know how she loves N'awlins. She's already arranging for spa treatments and shopping on Royal Street. I'm pretty sure I heard her talkin' to Alice, and we're already booked at the Royal Sonesta."

"Emmett, if you're already booked, why'd ya call?" I asked completely exasperated.

"You really gonna ask me that bubba?" he said laughing. "I was actually wondering if you needed one room or two." I looked over at my Yankee Girl. _Please let me need one room, please let me need one room._

"Um two, Jasper and I can share like we always do and Bella can share with Alice. Place them on my account, and make sure they have a balcony." I instruct.

"Okay bubba, you better be sure that's okay with Jasper."

"Eddie?" Emmett asked in a subdued tone. "You know I was just yankin' your chain right?" he asks

"I know, brother." I answer contemplatively.

"This is none of my business and you're my bro, but think twice about messin' with this girl. We're all missin' your Nana, Rose really likes Bella and I like her too. Now that Jasper is dating your cousin, her best friend, it'll get ugly if this thing goes south."

"I hear ya man, but it's not like that, I swear." I reply. _It was more. She was everything._

"I love ya, man," he said laughing again.

"Whatever Em, stop quoting movies your wife drags your sorry ass to." I said laughing back as I hung up.

"What was that all about?" Isabella asked, obviously picking up some part of the conversation.

I wasn't sure how to tell her we got busted, so I skipped out of it, "That was Emmett; he called to ask if we could play in a club we used to play at in N'awlins on Friday. I hope its okay, I told him to book a room for you and Alice at the same hotel we're stayin' at."

"Um, sure, I've never been to New Orleans and people keep talking about Mardi Gras there. You should have seen all the piles of beads Emmett has in his office," she exclaimed.

I chuckled quietly at her assumption, "Yankee Girl, those beads were extras from _our_ float and ball. We have a Mardi Gras in Biloxi too. There are Mardi Gras' all over the south, some of the biggest ones are actually in Mobile, Alabama were Mardi Gras started. The majority of the Mardi Gras parades are not like the ones you see on TV. Those parades are in the French Quarter and while they're a lot of fun, most parades are about the kids. Mardi Gras is kinda a magic time 'round here."

"And it's over, right?" she asked scrunching up her nose.

I leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose and answered, "Yes ma'am, we're still talkin' about it because we start gearin' up right after New Years. This week, the week after, is always sort of a letdown for all of us. Emmett didn't grow up here, so he still keeps all the doubloons, cups and beads. You should see his spear and panties collection."

She quirked an eyebrow, "Spear and panties collection, I'm not sure I should ask."

I smile, pulling box on the top shelf of my office down "There are always special things Krewe's throw off their floats and give away at balls, there are lots of beads, cups, doubloons, but each Krewe has a signature item or items that they only give out a couple of, those are the cherished prizes. This is the first pair of panties I ever caught."

"Why are they in a box?" she asked.

"Nana. I caught these when I was twelve; Nana thought the throwing of panties was degradin' to the tradition of Mardi Gras." I answered, "Over the years I've learned to throw out almost everything, but I could never get the gumption to get rid of these."

"Kind of like your first Playboy?" she teased.

"Not really, it's hard to explain, more a reminder when Mardi Gras changed for me. You, Miss Swan have an awful lot to learn about the South." My eyes locked on to hers, "I'd like the chance to show ya if that's okay with you.

"I'd love that, I want to know all about you Edward." She said.

_Thank you, thank you, thank you, God._

**A/N: **The stuff about not celebrating the 4th of July and Martin Luther King day is true!


	3. Chapter 3 Yankee Girl & Corona Boy

**This is a week early, but I'm celebrating my other fic getting rec'ed on The Army's Major**

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own the Twilight Saga characters, books or plot; they belong to the lovely Stephanie Meyers.

I also don't own Swirl and Daisy, the lovely M11870 does and it's fabulous. She allowed me to twist her perfect characters into something fun for me!

I own a laptop and a dirty mind.

**Chapter 3 The Adventures of Yankee Girl and Corona Boy**

**BPOV**

I was packing my overnight bag for New Orleans, and set aside the stuff I would need ready for my trip home. I couldn't believe it was already time to fly back. I had thought more than once to extend my trip, but the obligations of my life before Edward weighed too heavily on my heart.

I now saw my life in two sections before Edward and after him. I was amazed at all the memories we'd accumulated in the past couple of days. Life with Edward was wonderful whirlwind of activity.

After that first day in his office, Edward asked Alice and me if we'd like to stay at the house. Alice was happier here and I didn't want to be separated from that man for a second, so we checked out of the hotel in into the Brandon home. Edward and I had a long discussion about how carried away we got in the office and decided to take it slower.

I was worried that I would be intruding on the relationship Alice was developing with Edward, but that turned out not to be the case. All of Alice's evenings were filled with Jasper. It was amazing at how close they had gotten in such a short amount of time.

Edward and Ali seemed to make time here and there for each other, but she spent the majority of the time in the attic going through the boxes of treasures long forgotten. Pieces of Ali's life puzzle were slowly being put into place as the contents each box was revealed. Edward graciously told her to take whatever she wanted.

Edward and I developed our own little schedule. We had breakfast in the morning with Alice and worked for a couple hours until lunch. I was amazed to find out how easy it was to keep up with all my classes. I even had time to work on the presentation I was doing for the Non-Profit Association when I got home.

Even though we set up work only rules for the office, Edward tended to break them and tease me with kisses along the back of my neck and collarbone, but I couldn't complain. I was just too blissful.

We talked a lot about the Foundation work and found we had a lot in common as far as grant allocation. I told him he really should talk to Ali about a lot of this stuff. She had an uncanny way of predicting trends.

The afternoons were filled with day trips. The first day we went up the Natchez Trace, which is a old highway that once was the main though fare from the south to the north. Charlie would have appreciated the historical nature, but I loved the trees and foliage. It was incredibly peacefully there. We had a picnic lunch and ended up touring a couple antebellum homes. I couldn't imagine living here before air conditioning, but the houses were graceful and amazing. I had my first Mint Julep at the end of the tour of the second house. Edward assured me they were better than what I got; I hoped so because it was truly awful.

The second day, I got a real insight into Edward's college days as we traveled up to Oxford, Mississippi where Ole Miss was located. The fraternity and sorority houses had huge columns stoically mark the front of each house. Each one looked more and more extravagant versions of Tara from _Gone With the Wind, _I had never seen anything like it. There were Oaks and Magnolia trees flanking each side of the street that grew over to create a canopy of lush green.

I thought they were little too crazy about their sports, but especially football there. The speed limit was 18 miles an hour in honor of some guy named Archie Manning who played there once. It seemed a little ridiculous to me, but the pride in Edward's eyes, made me love it through his eyes. It was intensely personal and I was honored that he was sharing it with me. Edward showed the fields where they would have huge bonfire parties and we even made out in his old room at his frat house.

The third day, he made me close down the computer by 11:00 and we left d**r**iving down Ocean Blvd to the east. We passed Keesler Air Force Base where Jasper had been stationed and kept driving until we crossed the state line. When I questioned him, he told me I told me I was going to have to wait for the surprise. _I hated surprises._ We finally came to a resort town called Orange Beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama. I couldn't believe we drove all that way for a beach until I got out of his Volvo. Orange Beach is the prettiest beach I had ever seen, it reminded me of the postcard Charlie and Sue sent back from the Caribbean honeymoon.

I thought the sand was white in Biloxi, it didn't compare to the super fine powder I got to squish between my toes. Edward surprised me by unlocking a mammoth house overlooking the ocean. We spent the whole afternoon cuddled together on the double lounge chair talking about our childhoods. I was so grateful to be with this beautiful man.

That night I was the first night, I slept in Edward's bed. I wasn't ready to take the next step with him, but I couldn't separate myself from him either.

The fourth day I woke up blissfully incased in Edward's arms. It was as close as I had ever come to feeling perfection. I was falling dangerous fast for this man and I couldn't make the effort to stop myself or even question it. It just was. I tried to come up with excuses to stay in bed longer, but Edward would have none of it until, his morning wood, helped with the convincing. We had progressed through the heavy petting stage and that morning I had plans for him. He had already warned me on a couple of occasions that I was pushing his limits, if I wasn't ready. I wanted to push a little more, so as a stroked him, I slowly kissed down his beautifully sculpted chest, taking time to nip, suck and tease his nipples and V shaped muscles at his hip bone. When his hips arch up to meet my open mouth, I was amazed and delighted that I had this kind of effect of him.

I knew he thought it wasn't going to go any farther, but when I saw the pre-cum on the tip of his huge cock, I needed to claim it. I let my tongue tickle his tip as I swirled around it. He kept groaning, whispering expletives and calling my name. It was the most erotic moment of my life thus far. I took as much of him as I could, sucking, and licking both with the tip and flat of my tongue. I had him in the back of my throat and as I began to hum, he tried to push me off. I knew what was coming and I would not be denied. I looked up at him and shook my head and I sucked harder. It was his undoing.

I was so grateful that I looked up when I did. I will never forget what Edward looked like as he grabbed my hair in the back of my head cumming, and calling out my name in reverence, or, how he stared down at me in astonishment afterwards. I had given him everything I had yet to say to him and he gave it right back to me. There are a very perfect moments in a person's life, that was one of them for me.

He wanted to reciprocate, but I needed that morning to be about him. I giggled when he pouted, but grew excited as he teased me with the possibilities of the day's excursion. I couldn't imagine anything we'd missed. We'd eaten gulf shrimp, been to the casinos, Ole Miss, Orange Beach, Natchez Trace, but was I in for the biggest surprise yet.

That day, yesterday, was my favorite day. We skipped working all together and headed out about 10:00 in the morning. We drove across the border and into Louisiana. I wondered if we were going to New Orleans early, but knew not to question him on his plan to indoctrinate me into all things southern. My silent question was answered as we turned off the 10 and headed north instead of south to New Orleans. We drove along the river on a dirt road and I was shocked when we stopped at an Alligator Farm.

I refused to get out of the car for almost twenty minutes. He thought he was helping when he explained to me nearly every body of water had "gators" in them and as long as we don't bother them, they won't bother us. _Really?_ I stayed in the car another fifteen minutes after his little explanation. He almost left, but when I saw the disappointment in his eyes, I opened the passenger door. He had no idea how much I disliked new things, especially when they involved pre-historical killing beasts. I held onto his hand for dear life as we headed through the swamp and down to the water. I couldn't believe I was doing this.

I got into the tour boat with Edward and our Cajun Bayou tour guide, Billy. Billy flirted and enchanted me with his tales of the swamp in his endearing Cajun accent until I finally relaxed and leaned back into Edward's chest. When was calm enough to finally take in my surroundings, I saw Cypress trees with roots coming right out of the water and tin roof houses that peppered the shore. I got lost in the unique beauty of the swamp with the moss covered rocks, bull frog croaking, and the dragon flies or mosquito hawks as Billy called them.

The movement along the shore didn't startle me like it should have until Billy tossed a couple of marshmallows in the water. He pointed down at the water, just as a caught the swish of a gigantic green tail. I let loose a blood curdling scream as that alligator came up along side of the boat. I stood up without thinking. Thank god for Edward's quick thinking, he pulled me back down and turned my head towards his chest to quiet me down, before the boat could tip or any of us fell in the water.

As soon as Billy balanced the boat again, Edward busted up laughing and apologized. I had never even seen an alligator, let alone one in the wild less than three feet from me. Billy started to use Edward's nickname of "Yankee Girl" for me. He told me no one had ever died on one of his tours and it wasn't going to happen today.

We travel down the bayou for another half hour before Billy threw in more marshmallows. I held onto Edward tighter than I had ever held on to anyone and watched in awe of these gigantic creatures. _Who knew alligators ate marshmallows? Didn't they eat swamp things and small animals like dogs and cats? _

I was taken aback by my disappointment when the tour was over with, but Edward was insistent that we had to leave, so we did.

I thought our day of exploration was over with when he surprised me with a dinner cruise on a Delta Queen Paddle Boat. It was utterly romantic and I couldn't help thinking of the other couples that traveled in the days gone by up and down the Mississippi River. Time passed slower here and I was grateful for every moment I had with this man. I could see the allure.

We got home late last night and were completely exhausted from the day's activities that we just passed out in each other's arms. I woke up this morning thinking I could get used to waking up in Edward's arms every day. I watched him sleep. He looked so angelic and serene. I couldn't help myself and ran my fingers through his messy hair, he sighed in his sleep and just as I was getting ready to snuggle back down in the nook of his arm he surprised me by grabbing my wrists and pinning me under him. He was so playful and sexy. He whispered romantic things in my ear as he told me he that no one had ever made him feel the way he feels about me. Then he made giggle when he told me he couldn't stop thinking about that swirly thing I did with my tongue.

Edward started kissing my neck and traveled down my collarbone. He spent a delicious amount of attention on my breast as he rolled and pinched my nipples. He gave me his own version of the swirly thing from my nipples to my hipbone. No one had ever kissed or licked me there and I found it entirely erotic and sensual.

When Edward placed my legs over his shoulders I was completely exposed to him. He told me how beautiful I was and how he had been dreaming of this moment. I was lost in the ecstasy of it all, as he slid his magical fingers along my slit before sliding them inside me. I lost all train of thought as he replaced his fingers with his tongue. I came undone when he bit down on my clit and curled his fingers to stroke my g-spot. I can't remember if I called out his name or God's or both. All I knew was that was the most mind-blowing orgasm of my life. _Thank god for the swirly thing_.

We laid in bed holding each other. He pulled a me and refused to let me reciprocate like I had done to him yesterday. I couldn't help but wonder if he felt the same loss I did this morning. It wasn't about a tit for tat; it was more about the connection that came with the act. I wanted to touch, taste and love him again, and it was as much for me as for him.

**EPOV**

It physically pained me to watch her pack her bags. I needed more time, we needed more time. The week just flew by. I tried to cram everything I could think of into the past couple of days so that she would see the south as I did and want to stay.

I couldn't believe how easy it was to work with her our office. _Our office?_ The mornin's we worked together were the most productive time I had spent there since Nana Kate had fallen ill. Invariably my thoughts would turn to the remarkable woman sitting less than four feet from me at the other computer. I would sneak over and kiss and tease her just because I could. She didn't seem to mind, but she definitely had more will power than I did.

After my talk with Emmett and then later with Bella we decided to slow things down a bit. Emmett was right, the stakes were high, I was riskin' my whole family by choosin' to be with her. She was not a one night stand.

After she finished packin', we collected Alice who had three times the luggage Bella did and headed to the beach. Rosalie and Emmett were meetin' us in New Orleans and bringin' the final dissolution paperwork with them.

Friday was Jasper's day to work in the water with the dolphins and wouldn't be done until two in the afternoon so we decided to make a day of it. I knew Bella was dyin' to see all the trainin' they had been discussin' when we saw Alice and Jasper in the evenings. Ever since Jasper heard she had her doctorate in Psyche, they put their heads together comparin' the various techniques he was using. Apparently she has done some field study with dolphins on the west coast and they knew some of the same people.

Alice was practically bouncing to show Bella the dolphin Jasper let her name. Every time a new dolphin was tagged and micro-chipped for study, they were named. Jasper had stopped asking Emmett to help name them after he found out Emmett was namin' them after his favorite porn stars.

"Jasper!" Alice exclaimed jumping up into his arms, "How's our baby?"

I saw Jasper roll his eyes, but I could tell it was all for show. There was nothing but love and adoration in his eyes. _Did I look at my Yankee Girl like that?_

"Miss Daisy is doin' just fine, perfect really, as it turns out, your Miss Daisy is pregnant, baby girl" he told her. "We just finished the examination; she's gonna be the focus of our next study and the basis for my thesis. "

"You named your dolphin after a flower?" Bella asked laughing.

"No, silly I named her after that sweet old woman in the movie, _Driving Miss Daisy_. Jasper made me watch it one night. He said it was a 'quintessential southern documentary', funny how he just made out with me through the whole thing!

"But MY Miss Daisy not old, she's going to have baby daisies!" she called out as she dragged Jasper to the holdin' tank.

Bella and I left Alice and Jasper to their own devices as we took a walk along the shore.

"Thank you for sharing your south with me Edward," Bella said quietly and the trade winds carried her voice out to the Gulf of Mexico.

I stuck my finger under her chin and pulled her face so that she would look in my eyes, "It was my honor, thank you for lettin' me."

We walked hand in hand down the beach in comfortable silence, enjoying sounds of water gently lapping into the shoreline.

"You know when I first got here, I stood looking out over this same beach comparing it to Forks and thinking how I just want to go home. As crazy as it sounds, just two weeks later and I can't imagine leaving," she said as we sat down in the sand.

_Then don't leave._

"That first day I was struck by how much my mom would have loved it here. She's always been the adventurer in our family. I lived with her until my junior year of high school when she left on her latest and greatest adventure. She's always willing to try new things. I thought I was more like my dad, sticking to what I know, but look at all the things I did this week!

I nearly tipped the boat, because I was three feet away from an alligator, in a swamp! I had dinner on a paddle boat and drank a horrible mint julep. Things like that just don't happen to me, but they did… because of you. Edward, you have changed my life in ways I never thought possible." She continued as she wiped a tear from her glistening eyes.

"I love that you're the first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning and the last thing I think of before I close my eyes at night. The last two mornings that I have had the privilege of waking up in your arms have been the happiest and most intimate moments of my life.

I'm not sure if it was the first night at Eclipse when your music drew me in or when I heard you sing even though I didn't even know if was you. I'm not sure if it was in your office when I figured out you sang _Brown Eyed Girl_ for me or any of the moments after that. All I do know is that my life is irrevocably changed because of you. I love you, Edward."

I couldn't speak so I just kissed her. I pulled her between my legs so we were both facing the ocean, wrapping my arms around her. I didn't think I could look at her and say all I needed to say.

"Yankee Girl, I haven't been able to get y'all out of my head since you ordered that damn Corona at Marlin Murph's. I couldn't tell you that night, but Corona is my usual beer."

She turned around with a look of shock on her face. "Shut up, are you kidding me?"

I laughed and continued, "I couldn't stop thinking about you that whole night, and so I put all that energy into my music. The fact that it called to you should surprise me, but it doesn't. We have a connection that I've stopped questionin'. When I heard you talkin' to Charlie on the phone I was almost incapacitated with jealousy. I had already started to think of you as mine."

I took a deep breath and continued, "The first morning we woke up together was the closest thing to heaven I had ever experienced. I didn't expect you to put your mouth on me like that, but I can't say I hadn't dreamed out it every night since I had met you. What I can tell you was that it was better than anything I ever imagined. When I looked down on you…" I shuttered and closed my eyes for a second.

"It's all about the swirly thing, huh?" Bella asked smiling through her tear lined face.

"God, yes girl, it is all about the swirly thing," I laughed.

"I'm sorry I stopped you from reciprocating that morning," she said as I looked at her curiously, "When you wouldn't let me "return the favor" the next morning, I felt like I was being denied a chance to connect with you. I really was trying to give you something that morning, all of me really, but I didn't understand until the next day that maybe I was denying you something too."

I smiled introspectively. _God, I love her_. "I knew what y'all meant and please understand I was doin' the same.

Yankee Girl, I know this sounds crazy, but I think I've always loved you." _Stay with me_.

**BPOV**

_How can I ever leave this man? We love each other._

We kissed and held each other until my skin got pink from the sun. Edward got up to walk us back just as it was time for Jasper to get off work. I had planned to spend the afternoon going over Jasper's project, but wouldn't have traded my time on the beach with Edward for anything.

"Hey guys, are you almost ready to go?" I asked.

They looked at each other and then us, it appeared they had had a similar afternoon to ours. It was so good seeing Ali so happy.

"Bella, Jasper has a surprise for you and then we can go." Ali answered.

I scrunched my brow, "What's up Jasper?"

"Well, Miss Bella I was wonderin' if y'all would like to name your own dolphin, seein' as Miss Alice has already named one. I thought I could give you the GPS trackin' code and you could follow him when you went back home." Jasper offered as my heart wrenched at the thought of leaving Edward.

"Oh, Jasper, thank you, I'd love to, can you give me a minute to think about it? I asked.

"Yes ma'am." He answered with a smile.

A hundred options went through my head, Edward, Charlie, even Billy. I'm sure they were all taken, I thought about Edward's dad, Carlisle or Garrett, Alice's dad, but they were all taken too. I looked back over the most perfect week I had ever known and inspiration hit me, I checked the name database and it was available. _Perfect._

"I got it!" I yelled to all of them.

"Okay, Miss Bella how should research study dolphin number 201390 be known as from this point forward?" Jasper inquired.

My eyes snapped to Edward's as I said, "Swirl."

His eyes darkened as he swallowed. He shook his head and bit his lip before mouthing "I love you, Yankee Girl."

The trip to New Orleans was a relatively short one, but I found it utterly amusing that Edward was so uncomfortable driving. I felt a compulsion to be touching him in some way. I didn't have to ghost his arms with light touches, but I did anyway. Crossing over the state line into Louisiana flooded my head with memories of yesterday and without thinking about it I placed my hand on his leg. He jumped.

I giggled as he shot me a warning side glance. Alice and Jasper seemed oblivious to everything as they whispered to each other in the back seat. I started inching my hand further between his thighs. He shook his head slightly and put his hand over mine. I was getting ready to employ the other hand when Edward abruptly pulled over to a gas station. _Oh Shit._

"Do you want anything inside Jasper? Alice?" he asked calmly.

"No, man we're good back here." Jasper replied as he went back to talking to Alice.

"Bella, you want to go in with me?" he asked expectantly.

Smiling, I shook my head, then ran my tongue over my lower lip before biting down on the inside of it, "No, I'm fine right here, thank you."

His eyes widened minutely before they got dark and predatory. "Come on Yankee Girl," he said pulling me out of the passenger side of the car, "Let's see if we can find you a pecan roll."

I giggled and ran for the glass doors of the mini-mart. Just before I entered, he pulls me back so I'm flush against him. He whispers at my ear giving me chills, "Do you feel what you're doin' to me, sugar? Best not to start somethin' you're not ready to finish," as he runs his tongue along my ear and bit down on my shoulder just enough to make my eyes roll back into my head. _Oh my god._

"Who says I'm not ready to finish?" I ask waggling my eyebrows.

"That better be a promise you're willin' to keep Yankee Girl" he said.

"Oh it is Corona Boy," I promised and squealed when he swatted my ass.

"Edward?" I asked quietly.

"Yes, darlin'?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, sweet girl. So much," he replied. "Let's get back on the road."

I didn't tease him the rest of the way, we just held hands.

Jasper and Edward worked out their playlist for the rest of the ride. I started to get excited for our excursion into New Orleans. Ali had plans with Rosalie for a massage at the hotel spa and Edward and I were going exploring.

I couldn't stop staring at the lacey cast iron balconies as we drove into the heart of the French Quarter. Our hotel was right on Bourbon Street. I was stunned at the mixture of the classic marble columns with the Spanish arches in the lobby. The whole exterior of the hotel surrounded a magnificent courtyard filled with lush ferns, trees and flowers. I was utterly enchanted.

Jasper and Edward went to check in as Ali and I explored the courtyard and pool area.

"Are you going to be okay if Jasper and I get our own room Bella?" she asked, "I know the plan was for you and I to share and Jasper and Edward to share."

I nodded.

"Really?" she sqeaked.

I smiled, "Really Ali, I told him I loved him this afternoon and he told me back. It's actually more than okay."

"I knew it!" She was beaming. "I know we haven't had a lot of time to talk-talk, but I told Jasper I loved him the third day were here. I just knew, you know. He's the one Bella, he's my one and only."

"I can't tell you how happy I am for you Ali! You deserve this." We hugged and giggled as Jasper and Edward walked up.

"Y'all ready?" Jasper asked and I nodded because I knew we were.

When we got to our room I literally gasped.

"Edward, where is the bed?" I asked as I looked over the plush seating area.

"It's right up that windin' staircase darlin'." He said as he pointed to one end of the room, while pulling me to the other. He opened the double doors and we stood over all the people on Bourbon Street. "Welcome to N'awlins Yankee Girl. Now as much as I'd love to take y'all up on that promise you made me earlier, I know once we start I won't be able to stop and I've got a gig tonight, so let's go explore."

We took a horse and carriage to Jackson Square, where I we had our fortunes told and enjoyed beignets and chicory coffee at the Café Du Monde. I was spellbound by the street vendors and musicians. Edward put money in every guitar case and box, it didn't take them long to figure out it out and soon we had a wake of musicians following us from stop to stop. I picked up quite a few things for Charlie and Sue, including a box of my new favorite indulgence, pralines.

We made our way to Royal Street which had a different feel altogether. I browsed through the all the antique furniture and art, finding a hundred more things I loved about this place. We ran into Ali, Jasper, Emmett and Rose. The girls looked refreshed after their spa treatment and the boys looked pained as Ali seemed to find her shopping match in Rosalie. _I wonder if Edward was bored._

"Why don't you boys go find a bar, so we can continue shopping?" I asked surprising even myself. I think Edward was about to say no, when he looked over at his two best friends.

"Sure, we can go over our set list again," Edward agreed, "Make sure to be back at the hotel in an hour, we have dinner plans before the show."

Edward walked up and whispered "I love you, Yankee Girl, don't think I don't know that you just sacrificed yourself to the shopping goddesses for me." _I'm never going to get tired of hearing that he loves me._

"I love you too, thanks for the time frame." I replied.

**EPOV**

Emmett could not stop making kissy faces and whip noises. It was ironic because no one was more pussy whipped than him. I was so excited for us to be playing together again. We had played all through college, but had to stop when it was time for Emmett to study for the bar. We downed a couple of bourbons and headed back to the hotel.

Dinner was set up on the balcony by the time Bella walked in from shopping. Chef Robere served us by candlelight as the street people below entertained us with their catcalls.

I pointed out the bar we were playing in and couldn't wait to show her the Quarter at night. After dinner we made our way down to the now full street. I loved watching Bella's eyes as she discovered New Orleans.

I took her into Patty O'Brien's for the mandatory Hurricane by the fire. We couldn't stay long, but got to sing _Sweet Caroline_ at the piano bar.

I took her to Madame Laveau's Voodoo Museum where we got our tarot cards read and it was explained to her all people who come to visit New Orleans were romantically cursed to return over and over again.

"We've got one more stop before we get to Irina's" I say. "Think of this as one more stop on the tour of all things southern."

As we stood in line I could hear the music that was so close to my heart.

"Where are we?" Bella asked.

"We're at Preservation Hall, one day I want to play here, but for tonight, we just listen." I answer.

It was finally our turn to enter. I look across at the simple setting and Bella's confused expression.

"Just listen, Yankee Girl." The next set of musicians cycled in and started to play.

Jazz filled the room and I watched my Yankee Girl's expression morph into one of awe. _She gets it._

"No one gets paid to play here you just show up. Everyone from Joe Robchaux to Louis Armstrong have played here," I whisper in her ear and pull her closer.

"Thank you, Edward, I love this place."

Singing at Irina's was more fun than I had had in a long time. Emmett must have been practicing because he wailed those drums.

Jasper always plays the sax well, but he surprised us all and pulled out his guitar and sang a song he wrote for Alice.

I sang all my songs for Bella, just like I would do for the rest of my life.

In between sets, we danced and drank with the girls. I got my Yankee Girl to try a Dixie Blackened Voodoo beer, which she loved.

"You're going to have to be the one that orders Corona's in our relationship now, Corona boy. "

"Yes ma'am, but only if I get a y'all out of you tonight."

"Not going to happen!"

It was after two when we finally finished up and I could tell she was exhausted and buzzed.

We got to the room and she excused herself to the bathroom. I stripped down to my boxer briefs and climbed into bed. I felt her enter the room before I saw or heard her.

"I went shopping today Edward."

I squinted my blurry eyes and my breath hitched as she came into view. She was wearing a black and white lace lingerie set, with black garters and black high heel shoes. _Fuuuuuuck _

"Isabella Swan, you are the most breath taking woman I have ever laid eyes on."

She lowered her head a little bit as her blush traveled down her chest.

"Do you like it? Alice and Rosalie were picking out something for their evenings and I became their personal project. I'm embarrassed to say I didn't even think of it myself."

"It's perfect, but hear me now, when I say anything you would have to come this bed in would have been perfect Yankee Girl."

She climbed into bed and I kissed her neck and mouth. I was in no rush. Tonight was about us. I found the remote and started the play list I had waiting on the stereo. _Brown Eyed Girl_ was the first song. I kissed, licked and sucked every inch of her. I hated to see the lingerie go, but I was done with anything that was a barrier between me and my girl.

The bra came off first as I ghosted the sides of her breast with the tips of my finger tips. I licked and nibbled on her sensitive pink taut nipples as she arched her back towards me. I swirled my tongue around her belly button and sucked on her protruding hip bones.

I looked down at the gorgeous heels and bent one leg and slid the shoe off her foot. _We're gonna save those shoes for later._ I unclasped her stocking from her garter and slid that down her leg causing her to shiver. I did the same for the other leg and then took off her panties. I ran my tongue along the inside of the arch of her foot and sucked on her big toe. I continued upward nibbling on the inside of her ankle bone, making sure each side had its' equal due. I kissed and tickled underneath both knees with my tongue. I knew she was getting impatient, but this is exactly where I wanted her to be.

I continued my erotic exploration of Bella's perfect body as I nibbled my way up her inner thighs. Bella grabbed my hair and ran her fingers through it as I reached my version of heaven. She was dripping wet and I was overcome but the sweet intoxicating scent of her sex.

"Please Edward…" she whispered as she pulled my hair with more intensity.

I couldn't wait any longer, so I slid my flat tongue from her entrance to her clit in one long stroke. She bucked and pulled my hair tighter.

"Oh God, Oh my god" she moaned.

I circled her clit with my tongue and slid my fingers inside her. She came hard screaming my name as she clenched around my curled fingers massaging her g-spot. I lapped up all of her glorious juices as she rode out her orgasm. As soon her breathing returned to normal she pulled me up and kissed me.

I knew she could taste herself on me and I got impossibly harder.

She kept repeating I love you I love you I love you between our fevered kisses.

I pulled away to look at her. She looked primal and sexy and perfect as I told her, "Bella that was amazing, thank you."

She looked me straight in the eyes and said, "Corona boy, y'all ain't seen nothing yet." She rolled me over and slid off my underwear with her teeth. _She said y'all, God I love this woman_.

"Edward, do you have a condom?" I reached into the side table drawer and pulled one out. She rolled it on and positioned herself right above me before sinking down on my cock.

"Fuuucckk" we said at the same time. I waited for her body to expand and accommodate my size. She grabbed the head board and rode me hard as I watched her bounce above me as she caressed and teased her own breasts. She's absolutely magnificent. I could feel her walls beginning to tighten around me.

"That's right baby, cum for me." She arched her back and splintered into a million pieces calling out my name. I immediately followed her as I screamed out hers and came inside her.

We passed out sometime after sunrise. We work up at made love three more times before our pre-arranged late check-out time of 3:00 in the afternoon.

We met Jasper and Alice in the lobby, no-one wanted to talk.

I was a mess of emotions. I knew what leaving our room meant, we had to acknowledge that Bella and Alice were flying home to Washington tomorrow. _She can't leave me._

We immediately split up into our respective bedrooms as soon as we got home. Her bags of luggage stood as a silent reminder of what was now between us.

"Edward, I need you, please make love to me?" Bella asked like she was saying a prayer.

We made love twice without uttering a word to each other, knowing that once words were spoken everything would change.

I drew circle on her back with the tips of my fingers. "Bella, I don't want you to leave. I love you and I can't live without you."

I heard her breath hitch and then felt warm tears drip down the arm that she had made her pillow. She turned around. _Oh my God, she's still leaving._

"I don't want to go either, but I have to." I couldn't breathe. I closed my eyes to control the pain that was radiating out of my chest.

"Please don't leave me." I begged.

"Edward, listen to me, it's not that easy. I have a life back home, I have a job I love, I have obligations that I agreed to before I ever met you. I have to go. I don't want to, but I have to."

I was pissed. "Fuck! To hell with your obligations, your life is with me now, I need you, I love you, god damn it."

"Edward," she plead.

"What Bella? You can't do this, you can't make me fall in love with you and then leave me, I won't let you. Please Bella, I'm beggin' ya."

"I'm so sorry Edward, I really have to go."

I thought I was having a heart attack. Nothing had ever hurt so badly in my entire life. _Why does everyone leave me? Momma, Daddy, Nana and now Bella. _

I couldn't lay there with her anymore. I needed some air, so I did the only thing I could do, I left.

**BPOV**

_He left. Oh my god, he left._ I'm here in his bedroom and I'm getting on a plane in five hours and he's gone.

I cried until I had no tears left. It was time to get ready and he still wasn't back yet. I finished packing when I heard a knock at the door.

"Edward?" I cried as I threw open the door to find Ali standing in her sweats.

"Ali, we're gonna, be late, hurry up." I tell her in a robotic tone.

"Bella, we need to talk. I've made a decision, I'm gonna stay here for a while."

I stared at her blankly. I wanted to be happy for her, I wanted to hug her and tell her I can see how much she loves Jasper and how much he loves her. I wanted to tell her that this was the right choice for her. But I couldn't do anything because as I tried to speak I started to cry again.

"Bella, where's Edward?"

"I, I, I, d,d,d,don't knnnnoowww," I sobbed. "He he he ju, just, lllleft."

"Jaaaaasperrrr!" She screamed, as he came running down the hall.

"Bella, calm down, what happened to Edward?"

"We were talking and he asked me to stay." I took a deep breath, "I told him I had to go."

"He, He got angry and then just walked out."

I couldn't stop the tears as they fell. Ali held me, as Jasper left to go find Edward.

When neither one of them came back within the hour, Alice called Rosalie and they took me to the airport. I waited as long as I could to go through security, hoping Edward would show up, but he never came. It was the longest flight of my life. I cried silent tears until I finally passed out.

When I got off the plane, I got the text Ali sent to tell me they had found Edward and he's was okay.

Getting back to my life in Forks was tedious. I texted, Skyped or called Ali every day. She kept me up on stories about Daisy's pregnancy and all of the people who continue to visit her. She never said much about Edward except that he was having a hard time adjusting. _And I'm not?_

I ate Charlie three times a week, but other than that I kept to myself. I was miserable.

Three weeks had passed since I had arrived home and it was already time for my presentation to the Non-Profit Association of Seattle. They were putting me up Alexis Hotel, one of my favorites in downtown Seattle. My presentation went off like a hitch and I was pleased to see the names of some many of my students in attendance. I spent almost an hour putting faces to names and trading stories.

I was just getting ready to head upstairs when I heard the piano playing in the bar. I ordered a glass of red wine and let the music wash over me. It was the first time I had relaxed since I left Biloxi. I got up to leave as I heard the notes to that song. It was just too much and tears started to fall down my face.

I started to run out the door when I heard his velvet voice. _Oh my God, am I dreaming? _

"I'd like to play a song for y'all I haven't been able to get out of my head for a while. I've always loved it, but the words have new meaning for me, especially the last verse."

_Hey where did we go,  
Days when the rains came  
Down in the hollow,  
Playin' a new game,  
Laughing and a running hey, hey  
Skipping and a jumping  
In the misty morning fog with  
Our hearts a thumpin' and you  
My brown eyed girl,  
You my brown eyed girl. _

Tears streamed down my face as he continued.__

Whatever happened  
To Tuesday and so slow  
Going down the old mine  
With a transistor radio  
Standing in the sunlight laughing,  
Hiding behind a rainbow's wall,  
Slipping and sliding  
All along the water fall, with you  
My brown eyed girl,  
You my brown eyed girl.

Do you remember when we used to sing,  
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da 

He turned to look at me as he sung the next verse.__

So hard to find my way,  
Now that I'm all on my own.  
I saw you just the other day,  
My how you have grown,  
Cast my memory back there, Lord  
Sometime I'm overcome thinking 'bout  
Making love in the green grass  
Behind the stadium with you  
My brown eyed girl  
You my brown eyed girl

I ran into his arms and kissed him.

"What are you doing here Edward?" I ask in between my kisses.

"Well I heard there was goin' to be the amazin' speaker at the Seattle Non-Profit Association Presentation." he answered.

"Edward, really, I was so worried and angry and confused, how come you didn't call or email or anything?"

"Listen Yankee Girl, I've been tryin' to work lotta things out in my head. I'm so sorry for hurtin' you. But you leaving kinda broke me for a bit. I needed time to figure some stuff out."

"What conclusion did you come to?" I ask.

"First of all, I love you. All of ya. I understand y'all have a life out here and I respect that because that's part of what makes you, you. Everythin' happened so fast back home and I didn't tell ya all the things I should have."

"When I took you on my tour of all things southern, as you like to call it, I started with typical touristy things like antebellum home tours and the Natchez Trace. What I didn't tell you was that I chose the Natchez Trace because that was where my Dad and I used to go hiking and I wanted to share that with you.

Some of the best times in my life, before I met you, were at Ole Miss. My life has been about obligation, to my nana, my mother's memory, the family, the Foundation, even to my music, but college was about me and I wanted to share that with y'all too.

I'm not claiming to be a saint in college, far from it. We had a lot of parties in that frat house, but I want you to know, I never brought a girl to my room. The minute we stepped on campus I couldn't think of anything else but getting' y'all up there.

The house I took you to in Orange Beach was my summer home. I had my first kiss on that beach; I wanted you to be the last girl I kissed there."

The riverboat was my big plan for that last day. Nana convinced me that takin' my prom date there for dinner would be a romantic gesture, it totally backfired when the string quartet started singin' _Old Adeline_ and my date ditched me. I took you there, because if I would have known you, you would have been my date instead of her.

Believe it or not I've never been to the bayou and always wanted to go. Had I known you would stand up and nearly make us gator bait, I might have changed my plans." He chuckled, as he wiped the silent tears from my check with the pad of his thumb.

"So I'd like to take some time and figure out how and where all the this is goin' in the future, but until then," he pauses and takes a breath, "I'll could work here, and give ya time to show me your Yankee version of the Natchez Trace.

I 'm not sure what the future holds for us, all I know is that I want all my new adventures to be with you…"

**A/N: Thanks so much for reading my little fic. I loved writing it. **

**All the places I mentioned are real. It brought me back "home" to Mississippi for a bit. **

**The rules of the Southern TwiNights Contest were 20K word cap and 3 chapter max – As you can tell I kissed that limit! : )**

**Hugs and Kisses to all that reviewed/favorite/alerted.**


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